Disturbing Video Shows Last Moments of Patient’s Life After Mask Dispute at Toronto Hospital

Toronto General Hospital is shown in a file photo. Doug Ives/The Canadian Press

A disturbing video of an altercation between two hospital security guards and Stephanie Warriner—a patient who lost consciousness and never woke up after the interaction over her mask being pulled down under her chin—has been published by various media outlets.

On Jan. 12, CTV News Toronto released new video footage showing 43-year Warriner being confronted by guards Amanda Rojas-Silva, 42, and Shane Hutley, 35, at Toronto General Hospital on May 11, 2020. The two guards were later charged with manslaughter and “criminal negligence by unlawful confinement/restraint causing death.”

Despite the new video obtained from the court, Ontario Superior Court Justice Sean Dunphy ruled there was not enough evidence to proceed to a trial, which had originally been scheduled for May. Dunphy dismissed charges against Rojas-Silva and Hutley in a decision issued Nov. 22, 2022.

Denise Warriner, the patient’s sister, blames “COVID paranoia and phobia” for her sister’s death. “There was indifference toward her. She was wrangled like cattle,” said Denise, the Toronto Sun reported on Jan. 15. “She was pushed against the wall, held down and handcuffed. It was heartless, cruel and unnecessary.”

“This was not a jail but a hospital,” she added.

Now, the family will never have their day in court. Denise said the family wanted to appeal but was told that “the 30-day window has expired.”

“The system seems to want it to go away,” she added.

Denise told CBC News that she felt “shock” and “horror” knowing there would be no court hearing.

Camera Turned Away

Whether the video would have been critical evidence in the criminal trial is unclear, because the camera operated by hospital security turned away from the scene while the guards were restraining the patient.

In the video, guards can be seen approaching Warriner, sitting on a chair by herself near a wall, with her mask under her chin.

A female guard approaches and starts pointing and gesturing repeatedly, close to Warriner’s face.

The camera is turned away briefly. Then it is turned back to the scene, and Warriner is seen standing up and trying to walk away from the female security guard, who then pushes her against a wall. Other guards move in, and the camera is turned to a blank wall.

“The guards didn’t know this but Stephanie was a beautiful, caring person. She had broken no laws and was harming nobody. She had only lowered the mask to take a breath,” her sister told the Toronto Sun.

“She was effectively dead right there,” said Denise. “While doctors later resuscitated her, she never regained consciousness and with the doctor saying there was no brain activity, 16 days later she was taken off life support.”

Court documents dismissing the manslaughter charges state: “The now-handcuffed Ms. Warriner was placed in a wheelchair. She did not cooperate in any way in this process. There is conflicting evidence as to whether Ms. Warriner was vocal and alert at this point.”

In the video, moments after the camera turned away from the scene, the patient and security guards again come into camera view. Multiple security guards are walking in a group, one pulling a wheelchair with Warriner slumped in it, feet dragging on the floor. She appears unconscious.

Court documents state Rojas-Silva noticed Warriner, being pulled backwards in a wheelchair, “was non-responsive and appeared to have no pulse. A Code Blue was called.”

Coroner: ‘Restraint Asphyxia’

A coroner’s report obtained by CBC News in November 2020 confirms Warriner had been “sitting calmly” in the hospital lobby when a group of guards approached. A security camera was “purposely turned away” for over two minutes while the guards restrained her, stated the report.

Warriner had gone to the hospital for medical help, suffering chronic breathing issues. According to court documents, Warriner was in the COVID ward of the hospital and security was called because she pulled her mask down. Warriner was described by court documents as being “in a medically fragile state,” with pre-existing COPD.

Warriner, who weighed approximately 125 pounds at the time of her death, went to the hospital food court, said her sister, Denise.

In December 2020, according to City News, Toronto police allowed Denise to view the security footage, now published by the media.

“One of the security guards aggressively and violently grabs my sister and crushes her face first into a concrete wall,“ Denise told City News. ”I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced gut-wrenching horror. ... You can’t help but replay those traumatic images, over and over, in your mind. It haunts me.”

Court documents indicate Warriner “suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest that caused her brain to be starved of oxygen,“ and she suffered ”a brain injury resulting from lack of oxygen.”

The coroner’s report said she died due to “restraint asphyxia.”

Two staff members involved in the situation faced disciplinary action, and two are no longer working at the hospital, City News reported.

Dunphy ruled the security guards “were not medical experts” and may have only had “limited knowledge of the condition” of the now-deceased Warriner. The judge suggested there was evidence that the security guards restrained Warriner with “minimal violence” and that there was not enough evidence to proceed to trial.

The video captures the last moments that Warriner is conscious and alive.

“It’s sad a jury won’t see it,” her sister told Toronto Sun.